After watching Julie & Julia, I decided our blog would not be complete without adding one of Julia Child's masterpieces. Kimberly and Phil made this for us and it was wonderful. It does take time, but makes an excellent dish for those you love. This can be found in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Ingredients:
A 6-ounce chunk of bacon: Remove rind, cut bacon into 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 long pieces. Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
1 9 to 10-inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep
1 TB olive oil or cooking oil
A slotted spoon: Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate hear for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.
3 LBS lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes: Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion: In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sauteing fat.
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TB flour: Return beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Stir the meat and return to oven for 4 more minutes. Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine such as Chianti
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 TB tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
The blanched bacon rind: Stir in the wine, and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Add tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when fork pierces it easily. while beef is cooking....prepare white onions as it takes about an hour.
18-24 small white onions, brown-braised in stock: Saute in hot butter and oil (1 1/2 TB each) for about 10 minutes. Then pour in 1/2 cup brown stock, wine or water, salt and pepper to taste, a medium herb bouquet (4 parsley springs, 1/2 bay leaf and 1/4 tsp thyme all tied in cheesecloth). Cover and simmer for 40 - 50 minutes until onions are perfectly tender but retain shape and liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Set aside.
1 LB quartered fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter
When the meat is tender, pour contents of casserole into sieve set over saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil down rapidly, if too thick, mix in a few TB stock. Taste for seasoning. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.
***The recipe to this point may all be made in advance.
To serve: cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting themeat and vegetables with sauce several times. Serve in the casserole or attach on platter with potatoes, noodles or rice and decorate with parsley twigs. If it is cold from refrigeration: bring to simmer, cover and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
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